Author
Article 26 Asylum Code provides for full and automatic access to the labour market for recognised refugees and subsidiary protection beneficiaries under the same conditions as nationals, without any obligation to obtain a work permit.
However, as mentioned in Reception Conditions: Access to the Labour Market, high unemployment rates and further obstacles that might be posed by competition with Greek-speaking employees, prevent the integration of beneficiaries into the labour market. Third-country nationals remain over-represented in the relevant unemployment statistical data. Specifically, in December 2023, the total number of the registered unemployed third country nationals was 126.610 according to the Public Employment Service (Δημόσια Υπηρεσία Απασχολήσης).[1] This number increased in the first month of 2024, as the total number of registered unemployed third country nationals reached 126.382.[2]
It should be stressed that the aforementioned numbers include all third – country nationals and as a result there is a lack of information on the (un)employment rates of beneficiaries of international protection.
In a survey conducted by UNHCR from July 2022 until June 2023 with 424 beneficiaries of international protection, employment was reported as beneficiaries’ top need (73%)”.[3] Specifically, of those asked, 29% reported working at the time of the interview or having worked in the four weeks preceding the interview. Of those, 17% had regular work and 12% worked occasionally. Furthermore, respondents stated that the main obstacles to finding work were not speaking Greek, not finding legal employment, and missing key documents. These affected 74% of those interviewed. Lack of childcare was reported as the fourth challenge and affected in particular women with young children (0-4 years old). Of this group, 56% stated that lack of childcare hampers their ability to work.[4] As a result, many beneficiaries of international protection work as irregular peddlers, since it is very difficult to obtain the special work permit required for this profession. Hence, they risk to be fined and jailed.
As explained above, pending the issuance of a new residence permit, beneficiaries of international protection are granted a certificate of application (βεβαίωση κατάστασης αιτήματος) which is valid for sixmonths. In practice this certificate does not allow them to access the labour market and many of them are losing their jobs as soon as their residence permit expires. Furthermore, according to GCR experience, recently recognised beneficiaries of international protection are considered by the electronic system ERGANI (ΕΡΓΑΝΗ) as asylum seekers pending the issuance of their first residence permit, since they still hold their asylum seekers card. This malpractice has prevented beneficiaries of international protection from fully accessing labour market until they are served their residence permit. This is contrary to Article 26 Asylum Code, as they should be able to access the labour market freely from the first day of their recognition.
According to the Greek Government, an action “Promoting the integration of the refugee population in the labour market”, under the Recovery and Resilience Fund has been designed by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, taking into account the need for an integration programme of the refugee population into the labour market. The implementation of the action started during the year 2022, has a duration of three years and will serve 18,000 beneficiaries, mainly beneficiaries of international protection, but also legally resident third-country nationals. The sub-projects of the action are linked to 8 different sectors: the agricultural sector, the construction sector, the tourism sector, women’s employment, care and assistance to elderly people, and the employment of women, assistance to vulnerable groups, the prevention and combating of trafficking in human beings, the protection of the environment and civil protection. The action includes educational and professional profiling of the beneficiaries, language and intercultural training, job counselling, vocational training, internships, certification of professional skills and information and awareness-raising campaigns.[5]
However, to date, there are no available data on this Action. In any case, it must be underlined that this Action is not addressed solely to beneficiaries of international protection, but to all legally residing third – country nationals.
Further to the above, as found in the aforementioned study of ETH Zürich, Immigration Policy Lab and UCL, 6% of refugees are forced to work, while 4% of refugees reported that their documents are held against their will.[6] An additional challenge facing refugees in Greece is not only finding work, but also finding work with safe and dignified conditions. According to the study, 48% of those refugees who reported working at the time of the study, worked with formal contracts.[7]
[1] Public Employment Service (Δ.Υ.Π.Α.), Data on unemployed and subsidised persons, December 2023, available in Greek at: https://bit.ly/3we5rEL.
[2] Public Employment Service (Δ.Υ.Π.Α.), Data on unemployed and subsidised persons, January 2024, available in Greek at: https://bit.ly/3we5rEL.
[3] UNHCR, Key Findings: July 2022 – June 2023 Protection Monitoring of Refugees in Greece, August 2023, available at: https://bit.ly/4dgyE2l.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Greek Parliament, Parliamentary Control, Reply of Ministrer of Migration and Asylum, prot. no. 551513/21.12.2023.
[6] ETH Zürich, ipl – immigration policy lab, UCL et al. (Author), published by ReliefWeb: Home for Good? Obstacles and Opportunities for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Greece, December 2023, available at: https://bit.ly/3UCwSl7.
[7] Ibid.